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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · board · content · wake · bear · stand · fan · mug

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. content — the amount
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stand — to bear
  8. content — happy
  9. board — a committee
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — to rob
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. board — to get on
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wake — a trail
  19. pit — in a race
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. pit — a hole
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mug — a cup
  24. stand — on your feet

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com